Upgrade from Arcam Solo

parlo72

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I'm considering upgrading my venerable 1st generation Arcam Solo and Castle Pembroke speakers. I currently use it to as an amp for streaming digital music (via Arcam airDAC) and as the left / right speakers for TV, Blu-Ray etc. It's a great system, but I don't use CD or DAB anymore.

I was thinking of repacing the Solo with an Arcam FMJ A19 amp. Is it going to be worth it? Any experiance or thourghts would be greatly appreciated. (BTW the speakers will be upgraded when I can aford KEF R500s, I did try out some LS50s but their lack of bass didn't agree with me after the warmer sounding Castles)
 
Welcome to the madhouse...

Okay, your first gen Solo has the amplification of the A65+ and the CD player of the CD73, so you have a pretty decent unit as it stands.

Having owned the A65+ it took me close on two years to find an agreeable upgrade: I've tested most of the well-known brands below £1,000, and the only one that was worth the extra money/upgrade IMHO was the Creek Evo2, which is now replaced by the 50A. Another goody to look at is the Roksan kandy K2. However, if going s/hand floats your boat then look for a Leema Pulse -- my current amp and stunning at that.

Should you feel the need to stay with Arcam then the A19 is definitely worth an audition, as is the A38 (the latter has now recently been discontinued).
 

Thompsonuxb

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Imo you would be wasting your money. While you have redundant functions on the Solo. In terms of sound quality you'll gain little or nothing from a pure stereo amp.

Especially in that mid range price tag.

The speakers though may be a direction you could take to 'change' the sound again different over improve.

If the Solo is fully functional and all is working fine keep it. You never know you may re-discover CD again.

Save your money - spend it on a holiday or something.

But if the bug has got its teeth into you take it along to any auditions you do and compare it with the speakers and amps you are interested in.
 

davedotco

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If it has pre-outs, all the Solos I have seen do, get a nice pair of active speakers.

If you like standmounts get the new-ish models from 'they who should not be named' or if you want a nice elegant pair of floorstanders try the Adam Artist6.

Upgrade both you amplifiers and speakers at the same time.
 

Overdose

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As has been mentioned, the Solo has pre outs, so could quite easily be used with active speakers.

Your total budget of A19 money plus R500 money, gets you a choice of some seriously good active speakers.

From the perhaps prosaic aesthetics of Quested monitors (S7R and S8R) to something a bit more modern such as the Genelec 8040B and AVI ADM9s offering a more traditional hifi look in wood veneer finish, the choices are varied, but the quality of sound reproduction is something that anyone serious about high quality replay should at least try to get a taste of before dismissing them out of hand.

Edit: The Event Opals also come in around your budget.
 
eggontoast said:
plastic penguin said:
Okay, your first gen Solo has the amplification of the A65+

No, it doesn't.

Yes it does. This is what an Arcam rep once told me, at least, so take it up with them.

The amplifier of the original Solo was basically the gizzards of the A65+, only real difference the Solo had 10 more watts per channel (or the same as the A75+ if you like, which is the A65 plus a little extra power). As with the original Uniti had the power plant of the Nait 5i.
 

eggontoast

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plastic penguin said:
Yes it does. This is what an Arcam rep once told me, at least, so take it up with them.

The amplifier of the original Solo was basically the gizzards of the A65+, only real difference the Solo had 10 more watts per channel (or the same as the A75+ if you like, which is the A65 plus a little extra power). As with the original Uniti had the power plant of the Nait 5i.

I don't care what you have allegedly been told; you're wrong, as usual.

The power amplifiers in the A65+ are made up of discrete components, the output devices are Sanken SAP16 transistors. The Solo uses ST LM3886 all in one power modules which are incidentally are the same modules which are used in the A19. This is fact not hearsay of what 'I've been told'. You are correct in that the CD player is 'based' quite closely on the CD73 though.
 
eggontoast said:
plastic penguin said:
Yes it does. This is what an Arcam rep once told me, at least, so take it up with them.

The amplifier of the original Solo was basically the gizzards of the A65+, only real difference the Solo had 10 more watts per channel (or the same as the A75+ if you like, which is the A65 plus a little extra power). As with the original Uniti had the power plant of the Nait 5i.

I don't care what you have allegedly been told; you're wrong, as usual.

The power amplifiers in the A65+ are made up of discrete components, the output devices are Sanken SAP16 transistors. The Solo uses ST LM3886 all in one power modules which are incidentally are the same modules which are used in the A19. This is fact not hearsay of what 'I've been told'. You are correct in that the CD player is 'based' quite closely on the CD73 though.

Sure that's the case with later Solo Neo, but given the Solo first hit the market around 2004 so I would despute your so-called facts. Anyway, as I said before, take up any gripe with Arcam for misinformation... and not ME!!

Not sure why you're so hostile towards me. Change your attitude. It doesn't suit you. Then again...
 

eggontoast

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plastic penguin said:
Sure that's the case with later Solo Neo, but given the Solo first hit the market around 2004 so I would despute your so-called facts. Anyway, as I said before, take up any gripe with Arcam for misinformation... and not ME!!

Not sure why you're so hostile towards me. Change your attitude. It doesn't suit you. Then again...

chebby said:
Arcam's own service manual for the 'Solo Music' (pre 'Neo') bears out that your rep was wrong.

They are sales folk and not technical. This stuff only takes minutes to find and it's better when it's from Arcam's senior engineer rather than hearsay from a sales rep.

http://www.arcam.co.uk/ugc/tor/solomusic/Service%20Manual/Solo%20service%20guide%20V2.PDF

*biggrin*
 
eggontoast said:
plastic penguin said:
Sure that's the case with later Solo Neo, but given the Solo first hit the market around 2004 so I would despute your so-called facts. Anyway, as I said before, take up any gripe with Arcam for misinformation... and not ME!!

Not sure why you're so hostile towards me. Change your attitude. It doesn't suit you. Then again...

chebby said:
Arcam's own service manual for the 'Solo Music' (pre 'Neo') bears out that your rep was wrong.

They are sales folk and not technical. This stuff only takes minutes to find and it's better when it's from Arcam's senior engineer rather than hearsay from a sales rep.

http://www.arcam.co.uk/ugc/tor/solomusic/Service%20Manual/Solo%20service%20guide%20V2.PDF

*biggrin*

No issue with that... perhaps you should take a long look at yourself and answer my original question. At least when I'm wrong (or made a mistake) I hold my hands up.
 

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